The 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan/Cortina d’Ampezzo are fast approaching. Recently, I was thrilled to connect with Canadian Olympic Committee President Tricia Smith of Vancouver, British Columbia. Smith was an exceptional athlete too as she won a silver medal in the women’s coxless pairs rowing event at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Here is my interview.
Q: How excited are you about the Olympic season?
A: “I am always excited about the Olympic season. Our athletes continue to amaze me and we have a great group of athletes going to Milan and Cortina, and preparing for Milan and Cortina.”
Q: How excited are you about NHL players coming back?
A: “It is always great to have the best athletes in the world at the Games in all the sports. To have NHL players there will be superb.”
Q: Do you have a particular number of medals you would like to see Canada win at this year’s Olympics?
A: “No. It is always a question. I just want to see our athletes have our best performances and be satisfied with their performances at the Games.”
Q: The Olympic Oval in Calgary is one of many facilities across the country that may need renovations. How important is it that the facilities across Canada are as high quality as possible?
A: “Absolutely. You have seen the champions who have come out of this facility alone. Other venues across Canada, the same sort of thing. The swimming facility in Toronto after the Pan American Games. We need these kind of facilities in our communities for kids to see their heroes here at home, and to dream their own dreams of what may do through sport.”
Q: The federal budget came out this past fall. Is there enough money that goes to amateur athletes in your opinion or would you like to see more?
A: “Unfortunately there wasn’t money in the budget for sport. As you know, the core funding for sport has not increased in the last 20 years. We’ve been advocating to the federal government to change that. We see sport as nation building and really important to who we are as Canadians.”
